Solicitor Apprenticeship
Ashurst's structured Solicitor Apprenticeship programme gives you the opportunity to kick-start your career as a solicitor by gaining hands-on legal work experience whilst earning a salary, alongside studying part time with The University of Law.
We offer a Level 7 Solicitor Apprenticeship, which takes 5.5 - 6 years and includes completing your LLB (hons) degree and solicitor qualifying exams (SQE 1 & 2), all which are paid in full. You will spend 4 days per week in the London office undertaking the role of a junior solicitor, and 1 day per week at the University of Law working towards your academic qualification.
You will be allocated a supervisor to provide you with quality training and opportunities to develop, as well as feedback and guidance, along with a buddy to help you settle into your first few months with the firm. We will invest time and resources into ensuring you are fully equipped with the tools to succeed in your legal career.
Our programme gives you the unique opportunity to learn the role of a junior solicitor through osmosis, collaborating with, and learning from some of the most talented people in the industry.
What we can offer you
Quality training
You will be encouraged to strengthen your skillset and take on a greater level of responsibility by taking part in pro-bono matters, and will have the opportunity to sign up to a variety of different workshops facilitated by our Learning & Development team, which are designed to develop both the technical and soft skills required to become a successful solicitor.
Inclusive culture
You’ll be part of a close-knit, diverse and ambitious cohort of solicitor apprentices and will be supported by all members of our energised and collaborative workforce. You'll have the opportunity to have your voice heard and champion change through our numerous diversity networks.
Competitive salary whilst you learn
You'll start on a competitive salary of £26,000 per year, which will be increased annually as you progress through your apprenticeship. Also you will have the option of an interest-free loan up to £2,000, repayable in instalments once you start your Apprenticeship
The recruitment process
You cannot apply for the programme if you have already completed a law degree or a Level 7 apprenticeship.
You also must have the right to work in the UK and be able to work from our London office easily.
Our short application form is simple to use and allows you to showcase your talent by sharing why you want to pursue a career in commercial law and why you want to join Ashurst.
Once applications close, you will receive an invitation to complete an online Psychometric Assessment.
If you meet our benchmark for the online test, you will be invited to take part in a 1-hour telephone interview with a member of our Early Careers team.
The telephone interview gives you the opportunity to showcase your skills and understanding of a career in commercial law.
The final stage of the recruitment process is an in-person assessment centre.
You will join us in our London office to meet with our people, learn more about our firm, and have a tour of the office.
You will take part in an hour-long group exercise, designed to test your team work and collaboration skills, followed by an hour-long competency based interview where you will have the opportunity to tell us more about your experiences to date.
We are committed to making all stages of our recruitment process accessible to candidates with disabilities or long-term health conditions. If you consider yourself to have a disability or a long-term health condition, please feel able to be open about this at any point during the recruitment process. If you are not sure what adjustments you require, we will work with you to establish the most suitable adjustments at each stage of the recruitment process. Please note that our online application form includes a section which allows you to advise us of any extenuating circumstances that are relevant for us to consider when reviewing your application form.
If you would like to talk to a member of the team in relation to any queries you may have on your disability or long-term health condition and the recruitment process, please get in touch. Any information disclosed on your disability will remain strictly confidential.
Key dates
Applications open
Monday 30 September 2024
Applications close
Friday 14 February 2025
Telephone interviews
March 2025
Assessment centre
Tuesday 08 April 2025
Testimonials
"The Ashurst team has helped me to settle in extremely well and are constantly looking out for me and giving guidance and feedback to ensure I get the most out of this programme. The apprenticeship has given me exposure to a vast range of opportunities I wouldn’t have had if had gone to university. The combination of working in the office whilst also studying towards a law degree has helped me to develop a wide range of new skills as well as build on my current skillset. Ashurst's culture provides the opportunity to build invaluable relationships throughout the firm and meet people who you can always learn something from."
Aanya Verma, Solicitor Apprentice 2022-23
"The apprenticeship has opened up a whole range of opportunities for me and being able to earn a full-time salary whilst doing my degree is amazing. It has been so rewarding to look back at my progress and see how my responsibilities have increased gradually and the support given by the firm is great. A key highlight for me would be going for an away day weekend with my team, it allowed me to create lots of new friendships which I have since found useful inside the office too."
Lara Isbell, Solicitor Apprentice 2022-23
'Trading Bottles for Bundles': A Solicitor-Apprentice's Story
For National Apprenticeship Week, Ashurst solicitor-apprentice Brooke Moon shares how the scheme has helped on her career story.
Read more
Applicant Resource Hub
For answers to all your frequently asked questions and information on application & interview tips, the benefits we provide, life at Ashurst, our L&D programmes, and our IDB initiatives.
Visit hub
Inclusion, Diversity & Belonging
Our inclusive and diverse culture stands at the heart of everything we do. For more information on our initiatives and the support we provide please follow the link below.
More informationContact us
If you can’t find answers to your questions on this page or on the Applicant Resource Hub then please contact our Early Careers team.
Agencies
Agency submissions and candidate introductions will only be accepted with prior approval from a member of the Ashurst Talent Acquisition team. To submit or introduce a candidate, an agency must have valid agreed terms of business in place with Ashurst. Any agency submissions or candidate introductions made without prior approval or without the agreed terms of business in place will be considered invalid.
Diversity
We are committed to offering a safe and welcoming environment for our employees and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. With diversity and inclusion at the heart of what we do we place a strong emphasis on working with people from diverse communities and aim to make a positive impact through our Social Impact programmes.
Speak up!
Ashurst is committed to ensuring an accountable workplace culture. Candidates are encouraged to report any ethical or conduct concerns to our confidential email address: ethics.counsel@ashurst.com.
Please note that this email address should not be used for general enquiries about, or applications for, job positions available at Ashurst as they will not be passed onto the relevant team. Any recruitment enquires should be directed to globalresourcing@ashurst.com.
Privacy Policy UK
Ashurst is committed to protecting your privacy. For more information on how we collect and use your data during the recruitment process for Early Careers opportunities in the UK, please visit our Early Careers UK Privacy Policy.